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The Night She Won Miss America: A Gripping True Crime Love Story of a 1950s Beauty Queen
From the author of Searching For Grace Kelly , a 1950 lovestruck beauty queen finds herself in dangerous company―and on the run.
Betty Jane Welch reluctantly enters the Miss Delaware contest only to make her mother happy, but to her surprise, she’s the judges’ top choice. Just like that, she’s catapulted into the big time: the Miss America Pageant in Atlantic City.
Luckily, her pageant-approved escort for the week is the dashing but mercurial Griffin McAllister, and she falls for him hard. But when the spirited Betty unexpectedly wins the crown and sash, she finds she may lose what she wants most: Griff’s love. To stay together, she impulsively agrees to run away with him. And then the chase is on: from the shadowy streets of Manhattan to a cliffside mansion in Newport, as the cops, a cunning socialite, and a scrappy young reporter secretly in love with the beauty queen threaten to unravel everything―and expose Griff’s darkest secret.
“Inspired by a true story, The Night She Won Miss America is part love story, part true-crime saga, written with spirit and panache.”― Vanity Fair
“Expect glamour, grit, and some truly unpredictable twists and turns.”― Town & Country
Betty Jane Welch reluctantly enters the Miss Delaware contest only to make her mother happy, but to her surprise, she’s the judges’ top choice. Just like that, she’s catapulted into the big time: the Miss America Pageant in Atlantic City.
Luckily, her pageant-approved escort for the week is the dashing but mercurial Griffin McAllister, and she falls for him hard. But when the spirited Betty unexpectedly wins the crown and sash, she finds she may lose what she wants most: Griff’s love. To stay together, she impulsively agrees to run away with him. And then the chase is on: from the shadowy streets of Manhattan to a cliffside mansion in Newport, as the cops, a cunning socialite, and a scrappy young reporter secretly in love with the beauty queen threaten to unravel everything―and expose Griff’s darkest secret.
“Inspired by a true story, The Night She Won Miss America is part love story, part true-crime saga, written with spirit and panache.”― Vanity Fair
“Expect glamour, grit, and some truly unpredictable twists and turns.”― Town & Country
352 pages, Paperback
First published April 18, 2017
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November 8, 2019
”’I fell in love. I won’t apologize for that. It was real and true, and I had never been that happy in my entire life. I didn’t know the world could look like that, could smell like that. He told me I was the world to him. You have to understand what that does to a girl when she hears it.’
‘The world, until you won Miss America.’
‘Until I won Miss America.’”
After reading this book, nothing will ever NOT convince me that this is low-key Riverdale fanfiction.
Let me explain.
A girl named Betty Jane Welch lives a quiet life in Delaware. She’s the consummate good girl who earns straight A’s, goes to church every Sunday, and has never had a boyfriend.
Her mother is an overbearing social climber who will stop at nothing to achieve her goal: to join the local country club. How does she plan to do this, you ask? By entering her daughter in the Miss Delaware pageant. Betty doesn’t want to do it, but after much convincing and a slice of her mother’s famous lemon cake, she agrees.
Wrong.
She wins Miss Delaware, which means she gets to go on to Miss America, the biggest pageant of them all. Every pageant contestant is assigned a pageant escort to accompany them on stage, make polite conversation, and generally be male eye candy to the audience. While most of the other pageant contestants end up with less than desirable views, Betty gets a studmuffin named Griffin McAllister. Charming, witty, and charismatic, he’s a former football player who’s doing this as a favor to his mother, who’s in charge of the escort program.
Did I also mention he’s a redhead?
Don’t tell me this isn’t coincidence.
Betty falls head over heels in love with Griff, and he with her. But he says that their romance won’t last, because if she wins, he doesn’t want to be known as “Mr. Miss America.” But Betty’s not too worried. No one from Delaware has ever won (or even gone) to the Miss America pageant for the past five years.
WRONG, SUCKAS!!!
She wins Miss America. And she can’t fuckin believe it. Overwhelmed with all the sudden attention and wanting nothing more than to go back to being a small town girl from Delaware, she seeks comfort in Griffin. But alas, he hasn’t forgotten his statement to Betty. He won’t be “Mr. Miss America”, not now or ever.
Unless… she gives up her title for him. Of course it’s crazy, and of course it’s stupid. She wouldn’t do something like that; right? But love makes you do stupid things.
And she does the unthinkable.
She actually does what he asks.
DOES THIS NOT SOUND FAMILIAR??!!
What proceeds is a whirlwind of sex, madness, romance, greed, and danger as the young lovebirds try to run away and disappear before the world tracks them down. And you’ll come to realize that a leopard, no matter how charismatic, can never change its spots.
Oh, I forgot to mention that this is based on the actual true story of Miss America 1937, who shortly after winning the title disappeared with her escort. She later abdicated her position and never talked about it again.
And her name?
Betty Cooper. .
Y’ALL, I COULDN’T MAKE THAT UP EVEN IF I TRIED. HER NAME WAS ACTUALLY BETTY COOPER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL.
Aside from the crazy theory I just outlined for you, this was actually a surprisingly good read. The beginning of the story is a bit slow and may detract some readers, but once Betty arrives at the Miss America pageant, things really begin to pick up.
Some may find Betty to be a rather detracting character, and a very naïve, conceited, gullible young woman. But really, given the decade and the times she was living in, it’s not all that surprising. This was the era where most women who went to college weren’t looking to get a real degree (and those who did were considered to be bona fide spinsters). The main purpose of college was to take some classes and hopefully meet your future husband in one of them (my grandmother inadvertently did that). Girls went to the college their parents chose until they became dutiful wives and mothers. That was how it was , and it was really hard to get out of that role. It wasn’t until the '60s and '70s that woman finally were able to break out of it.
Her whirlwind romance withArchie Griffin further lends support to the above statement. He’s charming, charismatic, athletic, attractive -- everything a typical 1950s dream boyfriend should be.
And yet underneath those All-American looks is a much darker side. He has schizophrenia. It becomes plain pretty quickly, even before the diagnosis is confirmed by the author. Back then, there were little to no treatment options for the seriously mentally ill. I was actually kind of surprised how well the author dealt with the topic, as I was just expecting another cardboard cutout of the typical fictional mentally ill character. But he tackled the subject with supreme sensitivity and accuracy.
The one weak plot point of the book was the attractionJughead Eddie Tate had for Betty. I know it was probably thrown in there to add more drama to the book, but it actually kind of felt out of place. Not to mention the fact that it never went anywhere and it was terribly one sided (plus if anyone out there is a Bughead shipper, you won't like the fact that this version of Betty Cooper walks all over the poor dude like a pancake).
So if you ever wanted an alternative version of Riverdale where Betty wins Miss America, Archie is mentally insane, and Jughead becomes a reporter and has an unrequited love for Betty, pick up this book to read. It’ll get you through October when the new season starts, and will have you seriously thinking about tweeting the showrunners to make this an episode.
‘The world, until you won Miss America.’
‘Until I won Miss America.’”
After reading this book, nothing will ever NOT convince me that this is low-key Riverdale fanfiction.
Let me explain.
A girl named Betty Jane Welch lives a quiet life in Delaware. She’s the consummate good girl who earns straight A’s, goes to church every Sunday, and has never had a boyfriend.
Her mother is an overbearing social climber who will stop at nothing to achieve her goal: to join the local country club. How does she plan to do this, you ask? By entering her daughter in the Miss Delaware pageant. Betty doesn’t want to do it, but after much convincing and a slice of her mother’s famous lemon cake, she agrees.
”Betty sighs audibly. The humble understanding, the faux posture of ‘I support whatever you decide’ underneath which lies ‘I will be bitterly disappointed if you do not do this for me- I ask so little of you.’”Because hell, it ain’t like she’s gonna win, right?
Wrong.
She wins Miss Delaware, which means she gets to go on to Miss America, the biggest pageant of them all. Every pageant contestant is assigned a pageant escort to accompany them on stage, make polite conversation, and generally be male eye candy to the audience. While most of the other pageant contestants end up with less than desirable views, Betty gets a studmuffin named Griffin McAllister. Charming, witty, and charismatic, he’s a former football player who’s doing this as a favor to his mother, who’s in charge of the escort program.
Did I also mention he’s a redhead?
Don’t tell me this isn’t coincidence.
Betty falls head over heels in love with Griff, and he with her. But he says that their romance won’t last, because if she wins, he doesn’t want to be known as “Mr. Miss America.” But Betty’s not too worried. No one from Delaware has ever won (or even gone) to the Miss America pageant for the past five years.
”’After all,’ Betty thinks, ‘it isn’t like I can actually win.’”It isn’t going to change now, right?
WRONG, SUCKAS!!!
She wins Miss America. And she can’t fuckin believe it. Overwhelmed with all the sudden attention and wanting nothing more than to go back to being a small town girl from Delaware, she seeks comfort in Griffin. But alas, he hasn’t forgotten his statement to Betty. He won’t be “Mr. Miss America”, not now or ever.
Unless… she gives up her title for him. Of course it’s crazy, and of course it’s stupid. She wouldn’t do something like that; right? But love makes you do stupid things.
And she does the unthinkable.She actually does what he asks.
”Nine days ago she was the toast of the nation, the girl every girl wanted to be. And then she threw it away like a day-old newspaper. Sometimes she expects regret to rush in, but it never does; she knows now that she was not meant to be Miss America. In her quest to be the good daughter, she had ignored the woman she was meant to become. And now she had found her.”But as Betty comes to realize from pretty much the moment she runs away with him, Griff isn’t all he turned out to be, with a dangerous dark secret he’s been keeping from her.
”She can’t figure him out. One minute, disinterested and bored; the next, charming and attentive. One minute, funny and clever; the next bitter and miserable. It’s like he’s some sort of Atlantic City Jekyll and Hyde.”Charged with tracking the couple down for the latest scoop is Eddie Tate. A young reporter who takes an instant shine to her when he’s covering the Miss America pageant, he’s all the more happy to track her down. But it’s not for all the reasons you would suspect. Not only does he want the scoop, he’s secretly in love with the shy beauty.
DOES THIS NOT SOUND FAMILIAR??!!
What proceeds is a whirlwind of sex, madness, romance, greed, and danger as the young lovebirds try to run away and disappear before the world tracks them down. And you’ll come to realize that a leopard, no matter how charismatic, can never change its spots.
Oh, I forgot to mention that this is based on the actual true story of Miss America 1937, who shortly after winning the title disappeared with her escort. She later abdicated her position and never talked about it again.
And her name?
Betty Cooper. .
Y’ALL, I COULDN’T MAKE THAT UP EVEN IF I TRIED. HER NAME WAS ACTUALLY BETTY COOPER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL.
Aside from the crazy theory I just outlined for you, this was actually a surprisingly good read. The beginning of the story is a bit slow and may detract some readers, but once Betty arrives at the Miss America pageant, things really begin to pick up.
Some may find Betty to be a rather detracting character, and a very naïve, conceited, gullible young woman. But really, given the decade and the times she was living in, it’s not all that surprising. This was the era where most women who went to college weren’t looking to get a real degree (and those who did were considered to be bona fide spinsters). The main purpose of college was to take some classes and hopefully meet your future husband in one of them (my grandmother inadvertently did that). Girls went to the college their parents chose until they became dutiful wives and mothers. That was how it was , and it was really hard to get out of that role. It wasn’t until the '60s and '70s that woman finally were able to break out of it.
”This is the hidden cost of being the good daughter, the good student, the good girl. People take advantage with flattery, with emotional manipulation, one slice of lemon cake at a time. Sometimes she feels like more of a receptacle than a living person. Someone other people project their aspirations, goals, ideas, and tasks onto. And she simply accepts them.”And Betty’s no exception. Socially isolated by her parents and beat into her brain that this is what is expected of her, she really had no other blueprint to follow. Much like Betty Cooper from Riverdale (see? This is totally Riverdale).
Her whirlwind romance with
And yet underneath those All-American looks is a much darker side. He has schizophrenia. It becomes plain pretty quickly, even before the diagnosis is confirmed by the author. Back then, there were little to no treatment options for the seriously mentally ill. I was actually kind of surprised how well the author dealt with the topic, as I was just expecting another cardboard cutout of the typical fictional mentally ill character. But he tackled the subject with supreme sensitivity and accuracy. ”Betty has spirit, verve. She won the title every girl in America dreams of, then discarded it for him. For him! Their love is stronger than anything he could have imagined. She can silence the voices. The two of them just need to find a place to let their love grow in peace.”Griffin could get a bit over the top sometimes, but those instances were few and far inbetween.
The one weak plot point of the book was the attraction
So if you ever wanted an alternative version of Riverdale where Betty wins Miss America, Archie is mentally insane, and Jughead becomes a reporter and has an unrequited love for Betty, pick up this book to read. It’ll get you through October when the new season starts, and will have you seriously thinking about tweeting the showrunners to make this an episode.
”What is it like to spend your life denying the one thing that defined it?”
May 15, 2017
I really enjoyed the first half of this book - the world of Atlantic City and the Miss America pageant in 1950 was so fun to read about. Even with the outcome of the pageant right there in the title, I was even gleefully in suspense as I tore through the pages right before the winner was announced.
But then after Betty runs away from her new title, the book tries way too hard and just gets stupid. I went from being enchanted to rolling my eyes as a transparent villain gets offed, there's a high speed car crash, and NUMEROUS opportunities to solve everything are ignored in favor of a dumbass plan involving costumes (why?) and an over-the-top confrontation on an oceanside cliff. And don't even get me started on the reporter who gives up his job and his integrity because he is "so madly in love" with a pretty girl he's spoken to three times (while she herself throws away her future because she is "so madly in love" with a man she's known for four days... these people need to watch fewer Disney movies).
But then after Betty runs away from her new title, the book tries way too hard and just gets stupid. I went from being enchanted to rolling my eyes as a transparent villain gets offed, there's a high speed car crash, and NUMEROUS opportunities to solve everything are ignored in favor of a dumbass plan involving costumes (why?) and an over-the-top confrontation on an oceanside cliff. And don't even get me started on the reporter who gives up his job and his integrity because he is "so madly in love" with a pretty girl he's spoken to three times (while she herself throws away her future because she is "so madly in love" with a man she's known for four days... these people need to watch fewer Disney movies).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 24, 2017
Not bad. Started out strong, then just turned ridiculous. I read through to the end to see what would happen, but it just became incredibly unbelievable. If Griff was so 'sick', then WHY would his mother have him sign up to be an escort for a Miss America contestant? Especially considering what happen with Helen when he was at NYU?!
Overall, it's a pretty readable book, but not one that I would recommend to anyone.
Overall, it's a pretty readable book, but not one that I would recommend to anyone.
June 17, 2017
My rating is based on the first half of the novel which I thought was great. The 1950 Miss America pageant setting was fun and the characters were interesting. The book faltered some as it went with a little too much drama but I would recommend it. A good summer read.
March 22, 2019
Solid 3.5 stars. I can totally see this being a movie.
September 11, 2019
This book is decently well written style-wise, and that's the best I can say about it. The plot is a mess and the characters' actions make zero sense. First off, two men, Griff and Eddie, both fall for Betty over the course of about five conversations and three days, which I cannot fathom for any reason. Betty is a perfectly fine character but she's not that interesting in the grand scheme of things, and I'm not sure I understand how she won Miss America. But anyway, she falls in love with Griff and somehow wins. The long scenes about the Miss America pageant were somehow the best part of this book and I didn't even like them that much. I'm also not entirely sure they served a point, other than maybe showing us how much fun Betty was having. Which makes her actions even more incomprehensible down the line.
The main issue is the romance for two reasons. One, the lack of time and communication--I just can't buy that Betty would run away from her family and the title she was happy about winning for some guy she's known for like a week. Two, Griff is schizophrenic and that doesn't really work. I don't have any experience with it, but it doesn't appear to be done respectfully. Griff doesn't across as as good person who's struggling. He easily becomes violent, he's not particularly respectful of Betty or her wishes, and even when he's not hallucinating/hearing voices, he doesn't make anything approaching a reasonable decision. I'm not sure how much of this is accurate for schizophrenia, but it makes for an odd read. What makes it odder still is Betty's reactions to all of this; she often seems like an abuse victim soothing her abuser, which doesn't exactly scream "respectful of Griff's mental illness." On that note, what the everloving fuck is his family doing? He has a history of violence, buthis mother signs him up to be an escort for the pageant. His mother is clearly dumb as a box of rocks if she thinks this is a good idea. So this whole plot line is already nonsensical and we haven't even gotten to the worst parts of the story.
Once Betty and Griff flee into the night, the story shoots straight into melodrama. Betty is desperate to soothe Griff, and his actions become even more unstable. She turns to Ciji, her roommate at the hotel where the pageant was, for help, as well as Eddie, the dumbass journalist who loses his job to protect her because he's so in love with her after a whole of hour of talking to her. It all culminates in a dumb plan with a nearly tragic ending that I couldn't bring myself to care about because these characters haven't made an understandable decision in chapters.
Some smaller issues included an unnecessary framing device and a lackluster ending, but at that point, I had already stopped caring.
The main issue is the romance for two reasons. One, the lack of time and communication--I just can't buy that Betty would run away from her family and the title she was happy about winning for some guy she's known for like a week. Two, Griff is schizophrenic and that doesn't really work. I don't have any experience with it, but it doesn't appear to be done respectfully. Griff doesn't across as as good person who's struggling. He easily becomes violent, he's not particularly respectful of Betty or her wishes, and even when he's not hallucinating/hearing voices, he doesn't make anything approaching a reasonable decision. I'm not sure how much of this is accurate for schizophrenia, but it makes for an odd read. What makes it odder still is Betty's reactions to all of this; she often seems like an abuse victim soothing her abuser, which doesn't exactly scream "respectful of Griff's mental illness." On that note, what the everloving fuck is his family doing? He has a history of violence, buthis mother signs him up to be an escort for the pageant. His mother is clearly dumb as a box of rocks if she thinks this is a good idea. So this whole plot line is already nonsensical and we haven't even gotten to the worst parts of the story.
Once Betty and Griff flee into the night, the story shoots straight into melodrama. Betty is desperate to soothe Griff, and his actions become even more unstable. She turns to Ciji, her roommate at the hotel where the pageant was, for help, as well as Eddie, the dumbass journalist who loses his job to protect her because he's so in love with her after a whole of hour of talking to her. It all culminates in a dumb plan with a nearly tragic ending that I couldn't bring myself to care about because these characters haven't made an understandable decision in chapters.
Some smaller issues included an unnecessary framing device and a lackluster ending, but at that point, I had already stopped caring.
May 28, 2017
This was an interesting read knowing that it was based on a true story. However, so many liberties were taken with the story that it was VERY loosely based on actual events. I hated the ending and not sure why the author's mind would have gone there. It was a quick read though and I kept coming back to find out what happened to Griff and Bette. Unfortunately, I was ultimately disappointed.
September 26, 2019
An enjoyable romp for anyone who grew up watching Miss America.
July 7, 2017
Started out as a solid 2.8-3.1 range sort of thing. Light, fluffy, fun. Pretty gowns and parties and swimsuits . . . the epitome of a beach read. But practically the second she wins Miss America it takes a nosedive into the worst of the bad Lifetime movies territory. Then there's a completely unnecessary attempted rape (and victim blaming to match, like a purse to a gown!) and from there to the end what was a theoretically recoverable nosedive becomes a straight down plummet into the twin depths of awful and ridiculous. If you're that interested, read the first 13 chapters, then put it down and look up the story of Bette Cooper as Miss America 1937, the story this rag was VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY LOOSELY inspired by. The handful of details available make much better reading than the second half of this thing.
June 11, 2017
I just found the characters to be very annoying.
June 7, 2017
Just couldn't get into it. Found the writing to be everywhere, and pretty boring.
July 16, 2017
The first half of this book was interesting and entertaining, especially to those of us of a certain age who grew up watching the Miss America Pageant during the Bert Parks era. That alone accounts for the 3 stars. I was intrigued by the basis being the real life story of 17 year old Miss New Jersey, Bette Cooper who won and abdicated the crown in 1937. I googled Ms Cooper and read her story. To say this book is based on Bette Cooper's experience definitely involves an absurd stretch of the imagination and I'm certain would cause Ms Cooper and the events involving her escort Lou Off, much pain if they had read it.
The second half of the book that takes place after Miss Delaware is crowned Miss America 1950 and decides to irrevocably alter her life and destroy her close knit family to run off with her schizophrenic pageant escort Griff she has know for 6 days and probably spent less than 24 hours with total, but is head over heels in love with, was patently ridiculous. How is it a supposedly loving mother volunteers a son with a history of extremely serious consequences of mental health issues to serve as a beauty pageant escort? If that weren't enough, Callahan created some really over the top experiences for Betty and Griff while on the lam and added in another dose of unreality in Betty's use of her pageant roommate Miss Rhode Island, aka 'Joan of Arc' and a silly newspaper reporter who instantly fell in love with Betty when he covered a swimsuit photo shoot the day the contestants arrived in Atlantic City. Sheesh
The book would have been so much better if it had remained truer to Bette Cooper's story and involved Miss Delaware winning the title but struggling with how to deal with demands of a role she never sought, wanted, or expected.
The second half of the book that takes place after Miss Delaware is crowned Miss America 1950 and decides to irrevocably alter her life and destroy her close knit family to run off with her schizophrenic pageant escort Griff she has know for 6 days and probably spent less than 24 hours with total, but is head over heels in love with, was patently ridiculous. How is it a supposedly loving mother volunteers a son with a history of extremely serious consequences of mental health issues to serve as a beauty pageant escort? If that weren't enough, Callahan created some really over the top experiences for Betty and Griff while on the lam and added in another dose of unreality in Betty's use of her pageant roommate Miss Rhode Island, aka 'Joan of Arc' and a silly newspaper reporter who instantly fell in love with Betty when he covered a swimsuit photo shoot the day the contestants arrived in Atlantic City. Sheesh
The book would have been so much better if it had remained truer to Bette Cooper's story and involved Miss Delaware winning the title but struggling with how to deal with demands of a role she never sought, wanted, or expected.
March 27, 2017
I was fortunate to win this book in a Goodreads giveaway. This book drew me in from page one. Set in the 50's, Betty Jane Welch enters the Miss Delaware contest to make her mom happy. She wins and suddenly finds herself standing on the stage in Atlantic City in the Miss America Pageant. Here enters her escort for the week, Griffin McAllister. He is handsome and charming, but there's an edge and a mystery to him. Betty has never experienced anything like this before and is completely smitten by Griffin.
In between pageant activities Griffin takes Betty on adventures in Atlantic City that she'd never imagined. They broke pageant rules, but Griff was worth it. They were in love. Betty was ready for the pageant to be over. She wasn't going to win. She could finally start a life with Griff. The final night was here. When the night was over, Betty had a sash over her shoulder, roses in her arms, a tiara on her head and flashbulbs flashing in her eyes as she walked the runway. She can't believe she won Miss America. While she's won a crown, she's about to lose the love of her life, Griff, unless she's willing to run away with him. She's willing to give it all up for him. As the two go on the run, Grif's facade begins to crack and his dark secret begins to seep through the cracks. Their journey takes them down a twisted, dangerous path along with those who follow them. No one in their path is safe. Betty's only hope is that her love can save Griffin from the demons that haunt him.
I had a hard time putting this book down once I started reading it. The era of the story was captured perfectly. The characters are well developed and I found myself thinking about their story long after I was done reading it. The story moved so seamlessly from the sun filled kitchen with the slice of lemon cake on the table to the dark twisted journey that changes everyones forever that even the reader will wonder how they got there.
This is the first book I've read by this author and I am immediately going to look for more by him. I highly recommend this book.
In between pageant activities Griffin takes Betty on adventures in Atlantic City that she'd never imagined. They broke pageant rules, but Griff was worth it. They were in love. Betty was ready for the pageant to be over. She wasn't going to win. She could finally start a life with Griff. The final night was here. When the night was over, Betty had a sash over her shoulder, roses in her arms, a tiara on her head and flashbulbs flashing in her eyes as she walked the runway. She can't believe she won Miss America. While she's won a crown, she's about to lose the love of her life, Griff, unless she's willing to run away with him. She's willing to give it all up for him. As the two go on the run, Grif's facade begins to crack and his dark secret begins to seep through the cracks. Their journey takes them down a twisted, dangerous path along with those who follow them. No one in their path is safe. Betty's only hope is that her love can save Griffin from the demons that haunt him.
I had a hard time putting this book down once I started reading it. The era of the story was captured perfectly. The characters are well developed and I found myself thinking about their story long after I was done reading it. The story moved so seamlessly from the sun filled kitchen with the slice of lemon cake on the table to the dark twisted journey that changes everyones forever that even the reader will wonder how they got there.
This is the first book I've read by this author and I am immediately going to look for more by him. I highly recommend this book.
May 12, 2017
Michael Callahan (SEARCHING FOR GRACE KELLY) possesses a deft and winning skill at re-creating the dreamy romanticism and archaic sexual politics of America in 1949. He also crafts compelling and empathetic characters who capture the imagination and concern of readers. Callahan gives a contemporary edge to a nostalgic era, much like the way Todd Haynes's films CAROL and FAR FROM HEAVEN saluted and updated Douglas Sirk's great 1950s melodramas. Callahan essentially takes those wonderful Rona Jaffe page-turners about 1950s "working girls" and retrofits them with modern insights and sensibilities, without winking asides but rather loving attention to period detail.
To please her mother, 19-year-old Betty Jane Welch enters the Miss Delaware contest and wins. This propels her to Atlantic City and the 1950 Miss America pageant, where she meets and immediately falls in love with her pageant-assigned escort, Griffin McAllister. Betty is slow to realize that her dream man is more of a nightmare--psychotic with violent voices in his head. After she wins the pageant, Betty starts feeling hemmed in by its restrictive rules and, fearing she will lose the first man she's loved, she agrees to sneak away with him to New York City. When the newly crowned Miss America is reported missing and perhaps kidnapped, the police and press join the chase, and soon Griffin's paranoid delusions have flesh-and-blood pursuers--which leads to murder.
Callahan's fast-paced psychological thriller is exciting and entertaining. And the vintage Miss America pageant setting is as fascinating as the characters.
Michael Callahan adds a contemporary edge and sensibility to a nostalgic era with his fast-paced psychological thriller about a Miss America on the run.
To please her mother, 19-year-old Betty Jane Welch enters the Miss Delaware contest and wins. This propels her to Atlantic City and the 1950 Miss America pageant, where she meets and immediately falls in love with her pageant-assigned escort, Griffin McAllister. Betty is slow to realize that her dream man is more of a nightmare--psychotic with violent voices in his head. After she wins the pageant, Betty starts feeling hemmed in by its restrictive rules and, fearing she will lose the first man she's loved, she agrees to sneak away with him to New York City. When the newly crowned Miss America is reported missing and perhaps kidnapped, the police and press join the chase, and soon Griffin's paranoid delusions have flesh-and-blood pursuers--which leads to murder.
Callahan's fast-paced psychological thriller is exciting and entertaining. And the vintage Miss America pageant setting is as fascinating as the characters.
Michael Callahan adds a contemporary edge and sensibility to a nostalgic era with his fast-paced psychological thriller about a Miss America on the run.
July 10, 2017
The Night She Won Miss America was a chick kit book surrounding the Miss America pageant in the 1950's. The setting of Atlantic City brought a fun element to this and made it a great summer read. The author really nailed the social climate of debutantes and their mothers, where manners and obligations ruled.
The heroine here was Betty Welch aka Miss Delaware. I liked Betty instantly because she had no interest in competing in the Miss America pageant. She only relented after her mother guilted her into it by claiming that not competing would have a social backlash for her mother.
This was one of those books where the premise was the main draw, and at times, only draw. The story moved in a very predictable way: Betty arrived in Atlantic City, met a roommate, met an escort, was afraid to wear a bathing suit with heels, fell in love with escort, won crown... That all was a bit boring because I already knew what was coming next even though I had never read this book.
Other than not wanting to compete, Bette didn't get any other character attributes. So, it didn't make too much sense when she feel head over heels for her escort in one week and refused the title. There just wasn't any foundation for her actions. I was sort of disappointed in the overall plot and message here. I just didn't care all that much about the other characters or their problems.
This was entertaining mainly because it was a unique premise and a guilty pleasure type read. This would be a good summer pick up for people looking for a total mindless read with a historical element.
The heroine here was Betty Welch aka Miss Delaware. I liked Betty instantly because she had no interest in competing in the Miss America pageant. She only relented after her mother guilted her into it by claiming that not competing would have a social backlash for her mother.
This was one of those books where the premise was the main draw, and at times, only draw. The story moved in a very predictable way: Betty arrived in Atlantic City, met a roommate, met an escort, was afraid to wear a bathing suit with heels, fell in love with escort, won crown... That all was a bit boring because I already knew what was coming next even though I had never read this book.
Other than not wanting to compete, Bette didn't get any other character attributes. So, it didn't make too much sense when she feel head over heels for her escort in one week and refused the title. There just wasn't any foundation for her actions. I was sort of disappointed in the overall plot and message here. I just didn't care all that much about the other characters or their problems.
This was entertaining mainly because it was a unique premise and a guilty pleasure type read. This would be a good summer pick up for people looking for a total mindless read with a historical element.
February 22, 2025
I am so conflicted on this book. I enjoyed this book and yet I will not recommend it to a single person. It feels entirely unrealistic except that... It happened. Yes, this is a fictional version of events, but the major plot point of the book happened. I can suspend my disbelief enough to go along with the major plot point of Betty running away with Griff, a boy she's known for less than a week.
I started reading this book having no clue that Betty and Griff would run away together. (It's in the synopsis which I didn't read right away. I think it would have been wise to leave this out of the synopsis. When they ran away, I was shocked, and that was fun.) Having not known this, I was simply intrigued as to what would happen the night she won Miss America.
This book needed a good editor and about 100 pages fewer of text. The pace is fine, but there were times that essentially the same thing was written 3 times. The words could have had a stronger impact with less of them.
I don't mind when a book leaves plot lines unwrapped, but there were quite a few that were wrapped in such an unbelievable way that I almost wish it had been open ended. I also wish that the prologue and epilogue didn't exist. By the time I'd gotten to the epilogue, so much had happened that I didn't even recall a pretty major happening in the prologue.
Overall, it was a fun, quick read that needed less words for a bigger impact.
I started reading this book having no clue that Betty and Griff would run away together. (It's in the synopsis which I didn't read right away. I think it would have been wise to leave this out of the synopsis. When they ran away, I was shocked, and that was fun.) Having not known this, I was simply intrigued as to what would happen the night she won Miss America.
This book needed a good editor and about 100 pages fewer of text. The pace is fine, but there were times that essentially the same thing was written 3 times. The words could have had a stronger impact with less of them.
I don't mind when a book leaves plot lines unwrapped, but there were quite a few that were wrapped in such an unbelievable way that I almost wish it had been open ended. I also wish that the prologue and epilogue didn't exist. By the time I'd gotten to the epilogue, so much had happened that I didn't even recall a pretty major happening in the prologue.
Overall, it was a fun, quick read that needed less words for a bigger impact.
December 14, 2017
I would give this fun read 3.5 stars. It's a nice "beach read" and the main character, Betty Jane Welch, is well-drawn. Betty is talked into entering the Miss Delaware pageant by her mother. She wins that pageant and finds herself in The Miss America Pageant, 1950.
The contestants were assigned male escorts, and Betty's escort, Griffin McAllister, is very handsome. She falls in love with him, and the story begins. We know she will win the title (as the title of the book tells us). Griff tells her that if she wins, their relationship is over, as he does not want to be "Mr Miss America". She doesn't believe for a minute that she will win. The author does a good job describing the pageant, the camaraderie (and lack of) and the feelings that participants must experience while competing in such an event.
The story falters a bit in the second part, when, having won the crown and fleeing with her love, Betty realizes "Griff" is mentally ill (the reader knows this right away). There is a little too much melodrama, and the story becomes a good candidate for a Lifetime Movie, but, all in all, it is an entertaining read. I liked the epilogue, where the author explains how came to write this story.
The contestants were assigned male escorts, and Betty's escort, Griffin McAllister, is very handsome. She falls in love with him, and the story begins. We know she will win the title (as the title of the book tells us). Griff tells her that if she wins, their relationship is over, as he does not want to be "Mr Miss America". She doesn't believe for a minute that she will win. The author does a good job describing the pageant, the camaraderie (and lack of) and the feelings that participants must experience while competing in such an event.
The story falters a bit in the second part, when, having won the crown and fleeing with her love, Betty realizes "Griff" is mentally ill (the reader knows this right away). There is a little too much melodrama, and the story becomes a good candidate for a Lifetime Movie, but, all in all, it is an entertaining read. I liked the epilogue, where the author explains how came to write this story.
June 9, 2017
The Night She Won Miss America
By
Michael Callahan
What it's all about...
This is an odd little book that involves lemon cake, the state of Delaware, Atlantic City, the first hairspray...oh...and deceit, scandal and murder. Trust me...if I was gossiping to you about this story you would never ever believe me! And this book...the author says...is inspired by a true story!
Why I wanted to read it...
This book sounded quirky enough to be good. It's the 1950's...Betty Jane Welch doesn't think she is going to win anything and yet quite tidily wins Miss America. And in spite of all the rules...sneaks off with someone she thinks she loves! It's crazy stuff...really...Betty Jane wins and then disappears...and the drama begins.
What made me truly enjoy this book...
I loved all of the Atlantic City and Delaware references. They were much fun. The scandal/ murder parts of this book were weird...I loved the book less as I worked my way through it.
Why you should read it, too...
Readers who love books that are close to the truth...or inspired by true facts...might enjoy this book. The pageant was interesting with its gowns and rules and swimsuits. After a bit this book was just ok for me.
By
Michael Callahan
What it's all about...
This is an odd little book that involves lemon cake, the state of Delaware, Atlantic City, the first hairspray...oh...and deceit, scandal and murder. Trust me...if I was gossiping to you about this story you would never ever believe me! And this book...the author says...is inspired by a true story!
Why I wanted to read it...
This book sounded quirky enough to be good. It's the 1950's...Betty Jane Welch doesn't think she is going to win anything and yet quite tidily wins Miss America. And in spite of all the rules...sneaks off with someone she thinks she loves! It's crazy stuff...really...Betty Jane wins and then disappears...and the drama begins.
What made me truly enjoy this book...
I loved all of the Atlantic City and Delaware references. They were much fun. The scandal/ murder parts of this book were weird...I loved the book less as I worked my way through it.
Why you should read it, too...
Readers who love books that are close to the truth...or inspired by true facts...might enjoy this book. The pageant was interesting with its gowns and rules and swimsuits. After a bit this book was just ok for me.
May 20, 2017
I liked lots of things about this book. I found the history of the Miss America pageant interesting and it felt like a lot of research was done to get details correct and to get the reader involved in the story. I felt like it got a little off track in the second portion of the book and wasn't as entertaining as the beginning. I still found it a good, quick read. I'm not sure how I felt about the beginning and end of the book tying together, but it didn't hurt the story. I would have liked to know more about that. I didn't find the character of Griffin to be as in depth as I had hoped, but I did get invested in his story to a lesser extent than Betty. I did like the explanation at the back of the book about how the story came to be and it made me appreciate the book more. I found the book to be true to the time frame it was written in and appreciated the feeling of taking a peek back in time.
I did receive this book free from a GoodReads giveaway and I am happy to leave my review on what I thought of the book after reading it.
I did receive this book free from a GoodReads giveaway and I am happy to leave my review on what I thought of the book after reading it.
August 29, 2017
The story was developed from a true occurrence. A young woman won a local beauty contest, then went on to win the Miss America title. In the early years of the pageant, the contestants were assigned escorts for the week leading up to the pageant. The young woman and her escort fell in love, and the young woman said she did not want to be Miss America, she wanted to be free so they could continue their relationship. Miss America fulfilled a minimum of duties to complete her obligations, and they continued she their romance. But soon the romance fizzled, and the couple went their separate ways. In the book, Mr Callahan expands the romance, beginning with Miss Delaware, Betty Jane Welch, running away with her escort. Here the story goes off the rails, in my opinion. The escort, Griff McAllister, is schizophrenic and is off his meds. The ensuing tale is dark and violent. Not at all enjoyable for me.
February 15, 2018
Pretty good. I like anything that takes place in old days Atlantic City. If only they disappeared into Lucy the Elephant...glad the diving horse got a mention and the Marlborough-Blenheim is the hotel from the beginning of the movie Beaches!
I thought the writing was a little silly, like too much of what a man thinks a woman sounds like in her head. I hope the author wrote that way because he thinks that's how women in the old days talked, or the real Miss Americas he interviewed talked that way to him. I thought he did a better job portraying Ciji then Betty.
SPOILERS!!
I thought the writing was a little silly, like too much of what a man thinks a woman sounds like in her head. I hope the author wrote that way because he thinks that's how women in the old days talked, or the real Miss Americas he interviewed talked that way to him. I thought he did a better job portraying Ciji then Betty.
SPOILERS!!
May 29, 2017
When I was a young girl, I loved to watch the Miss America Pageant. I am sure at some point I even mused that someday I could wear the crown. So, when the title drew my attention, I skimmed through the book and bought it. I was not disappointed. This novel is based on a true story. When a young woman is pressured into running for Miss Delaware and wins, she reluctantly becomes a candidate for Miss America. Even though she isn't too thrilled to be heading to Atlantic City, she is certain she will not win the crown; so she goes through with it. She bonds with her roommate, Miss Rhode Island, and spends an inordinate amount of time with her escort. She is shocked when she wins the title, does not want it, and is not prepared to handle it. This event changed her life. The novel is an easy read and perhaps a warning to adults who micro-manage their children.
September 24, 2017
Betty Jane Welsh, a Miss Delaware 1950, enters the Miss America pageant and travels to Atlantic City for the pageant. She is to be escorted for the week by a young man named Griff, a member of Atlantic City's high society families. Betty is charmed by him and falls hard for him. She lives a simple life and is overwhelmed by the pageantry and company she's never been exposed to before. The day of the finals, Griff declares he won't tolerate Betty winning the pageant and having her time taken up by Miss America for an entire year. When she wins, she ends up escaping from the pageant and running off with him, creating a huge scandal. She also discovers that Griff isn't Prince Charming. So how does this situation end? Based on a true story that occurred in 1937 which ended the me escort program. The novel is simple and sweet and a source of mild fun. I liked it.
June 5, 2018
A coming-of-age story, disguised as a mystery. By acquiescing to her mother's desires (to be asked to join Junior League), Betty Jane Welch enters Miss Delaware. In Atlantic City, surrounded by knowledgeable women (entrants in previous years' contests), Betty also meets, and falls for, her escort for the week. Betty doesn't know that Griff suffers from schizophrenia, and is capable of sudden (and lethal) violence. Betty doesn't appreciate that her candid answers set her on a path for winning the title. With her relationship with Griff in the balance, Betty flees shortly after winning the crown and then needs to decide how to build a life absent her background, and how to do the best thing for Griff, who is far more volatile and troubled than she imagined.
Nicely situated with language, context, and history.
Nicely situated with language, context, and history.
June 16, 2018
Barely hits the 3 category. The first half of this book is a fun, fluffy beach read, full of pageant details and girly stuff, then it turns dark and weird. Betty Jean Welch, the first Miss Delaware in 5 years, is a real dark horse at the 1950 Miss America pageant, where she falls for her local escort. When she wins and he threatens to leave since he doesn't want to be Mr. Miss America, they run off together. To this point the story is loosely based on that of Miss America 1937, Bette Cooper. The weirdness, though, is all the author's, and it is a really unpleasant way to end the story. There's mental illness, an attempted rape . murder and assault, and other mayhem. It's like two different books. The transition is difficult to believe, although in retrospect there is some foreshadowing. The end of the book is particularly awful. I'm not recommending this one.
January 4, 2018
When I picked up a book about Miss America, I expected drama and ballgowns and romance and a bit of mystery. I did not come here for rape, murder, and the belittling approach to both pageant girls and mental illness. The pacing of the book felt off, the voice cliche, and the tone strange and swinging. Not to mention the prologue and epilogue felt entirely unnecessary. The only thing I can say is that it was at least well-researched. For those looking for a pageant book, I'd recommend a Forever Miss America's memoir instead. Kate Shindle's "Being Miss America" includes a deep look at the history of the pageant, and Gretchen Carlson's memoir gives a great inside look at the day to day life of Miss America.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 25, 2024
A word of caution to anyone interested in reading this; an attempted rape is in this story as well as a character with schizophrenia. Those issues might hit too close to home with some readers.
Minus the attempted rape, and sex before marriage between two younger characters, I enjoyed this book. Although a little slow at first, and the obvious who was going to win the title of, "Miss America" the story started picking up speed and the story took some adventurous turns of events.
Although Miss America was, "to blame" for what happened to a certain character, I can't say she was solely to blame. I guess it's up to you, the reader, to decide. Personally, I think a certain other person began the problem before the pageant even took place.
Minus the attempted rape, and sex before marriage between two younger characters, I enjoyed this book. Although a little slow at first, and the obvious who was going to win the title of, "Miss America" the story started picking up speed and the story took some adventurous turns of events.
Although Miss America was, "to blame" for what happened to a certain character, I can't say she was solely to blame. I guess it's up to you, the reader, to decide. Personally, I think a certain other person began the problem before the pageant even took place.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 7, 2018
I picked this up on a whim from the library, and I'm really glad I did. I will say, the takes a turn for the very odd about 3/4 of the way through, but the first part, which focuses on the 1950 Miss America pageant and the contestants involved is a really fun read. This story is very, very loosely based on the story of the 1937 Miss America pageant winner that fled right after she won to be with her new boyfriend and tried to give up her title. Obviously this book takes a lot of liberties with that story and imagines a much more involved disappearance. It's a fun, fast read. Highly recommend if you're looking for something a bit different.
June 2, 2018
My star rating is for the first half of the book.
I enjoyed the first half of this book. The behind the scenes look at the pageant, the friendship and rivalries between the contestants, the excitement of being in Atlantic City, etc. The second half grew weary, unrealistic, and absurd. Worse than a Hallmark Channel movie. No, people do not make life altering decisions, giving up a title or a job or their path in life, based upon knowing someone for a few days. That is not love, that is madness. And it just isn't reality.
This is the second book I have read by Michael Callahan. Please, remind me to never read another book by this author.
I enjoyed the first half of this book. The behind the scenes look at the pageant, the friendship and rivalries between the contestants, the excitement of being in Atlantic City, etc. The second half grew weary, unrealistic, and absurd. Worse than a Hallmark Channel movie. No, people do not make life altering decisions, giving up a title or a job or their path in life, based upon knowing someone for a few days. That is not love, that is madness. And it just isn't reality.
This is the second book I have read by Michael Callahan. Please, remind me to never read another book by this author.
May 22, 2021
After reading some of the reviews I wonder if we even read the same book. I loved this book. Life in the pageant world in 1949 was very interesting to me. The interactions between the contestants made for some fun moments. Other reviews said the love story was unbelievable because it happened so fast, I disagree, when you're young and live for the moment sometimes it takes hours to fall in love (I'm not young by the way). The rest of the things that happened after Betty ran away from being Miss America kept me turning the page and the ending had my crying ugly tears (no spoilers). This was a great story...highly recommend.
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